Exclusive | China, Europe must lean ‘closer’ as Trump-led US turns its back on multilateral world
Norwegian foreign vice-minister Andreas Kravik talks about China’s key role as uncertainties rock Europe-US ties, and the need for balance
In an interview with the South China Morning Post earlier this month, Norwegian foreign vice-minister Andreas Kravik highlighted China’s strategic importance for both Oslo and Europe amid transatlantic uncertainties, while stressing that Europe must avoid dependencies on either Beijing or Washington.
“From our vantage point, it’s impossible to address any problems of a global nature without collaborating with China, given China’s size, sophistication and geopolitical footprint,” said Kravik, who wrapped up his first China visit earlier this month.
His trip to Beijing and Hong Kong coincided with China’s European charm offensive as Trump’s inward-looking policies strain transatlantic relations, with Beijing styling itself as an indispensable partner and an alternative to the US.
“Regardless of what the US is doing, we are adamant that we need to work with our Chinese counterparts in order to identify solutions and that’s something that we have been pursuing,” Kravik said, when commenting on Trump’s decision to withdraw the US from the 2015 Paris climate accord for the second time.
